Systems and methods for lifting and transporting a shelving system

ABSTRACT

Presented herein is a system and method for moving a shelving system includes a plurality of contact members, a plurality of lifting mechanisms, and a plurality of cross members. A single lifting mechanism is coupled with each end of each of the plurality of contact members. The coupling between a lifting mechanisms and an end of a contact member is secured with a locking mechanism. Each cross member is coupled with two adjacent contact members or the lifting mechanisms therewith. The lifting mechanisms may be activated to raise or lowered the contact members coupled therewith, for example by rotating a hand crank. As the contact members are raised, they engage the feet of the shelving system and raise the shelving system off of the floor. The shelving system may then be moved to a desired location.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 62/339,023, filed May 19, 2016, entitled “Systems and Methods forLifting and Transporting a Shelving System, which is hereby incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods formoving shelving systems and, more particularly, to a system and methodfor lifting up one or more shelf units for easy and stable transport.

BACKGROUND

Stores, such as hardware stores, grocery stores, or retail stores, oftendisplay goods on shelving systems, which may include a plurality ofshelving units. These shelving units are generally arranged throughoutthe store in a coherent manner that allows a customer easy access todisplayed goods. On certain occasions, it may become necessary for thestore to rearrange their shelving units. For example, the store may wantto redesign the layout of their products in an attempt improve customerexperience. Or, the store may be undergoing renovation, such as theinstallation of new flooring, which would necessitate moving theshelving units.

In a conventional technique, all of the products stored in a shelvingunit are removed prior to moving the shelving unit. The shelving unit isthen dismantled or disassembled, and the individual pieces or componentsare transferred to a desired location. There, the shelving unit isreassembled, and all of the products are then placed back onto theshelving unit. It is generally necessary to remove all products beforemoving the shelving unit because a shelving unit that is fully stockedwith products can weigh several hundred pounds. This method istime-consuming and labor intensive. A store may require several days orweeks to rearrange all of its shelving units using this method.

Other techniques for moving shelving units includes systems withmechanical devices that are capable of lifting and moving a stockedshelving unit. Many of these conventional systems employ complex designswith multiple components. Often, these components are required to bebolted or pinned to one another and/or to the shelving unit itself.These systems are often difficult and/or time consuming to operate.Furthermore, these systems often require one or more people to positionthemselves underneath the shelving unit itself to physically assemblethe different components, which may be dangerous.

SUMMARY

Embodiments according to aspects of the present invention provide asystem and method for moving shelf units that overcomes the shortcomingsassociated with conventional techniques described previously. Theembodiments provide an efficient and convenient system and method forlifting up one or more shelf units and transporting those shelf unitssafely and efficiently. In an example application, the embodiments maybe employed to move a gondola shelving system, which is a known type ofdisplay shelving typically used in a retail store setting.

In a first embodiment, a system for transporting a shelving systemincludes a plurality of contact members, a plurality of liftingmechanisms, and a plurality of cross members. Each end of each of theplurality of cross members is coupled with a respective one of theplurality of lifting mechanisms. Each lifting mechanism is coupled witha respective one of the plurality of contact members. Each of theplurality of cross members is configured to be coupled with a firstcontact member or the lifting mechanism coupled therewith, and a secondcontact member or the lifting mechanism coupled therewith. These twocontact members are adjacent to each other. When all components havebeen coupled, each contact member is connected to all adjacent contactmembers by a single respective cross member.

In a second embodiment, a system for transporting a shelving systemincludes two outer contact members, an inner contact member, a pluralityof lifting mechanisms, and a plurality of cross members. Each end ofeach contact member is coupled with a respective lifting mechanism. Eachend of the inner contact member is coupled with two of the plurality ofcross members, while each end of each outer contact member is coupledwith a single cross member. The cross members coupled with the same endof the outer contact members are separate and distinct cross members.Each lifting mechanism is coupled with a single contact member.

In a third embodiment, a system for transporting a shelving systemincludes a first contact member, a second contact member, a plurality oflifting mechanisms, a first cross member, a second cross member, a firstassistance mechanism and a second assistance mechanism. A single liftingmechanism is coupled with each end of the first and second contactmembers. The first cross member is coupled with the first end of boththe first contact member and the second contact member, or with a firstlifting mechanism and a second lifting mechanism. The second crossmember is coupled with the second end of both the first contact memberand the second contact member, or with a third lifting mechanism and afourth lifting mechanism. The first assistance mechanism is coupled withthe first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism. The secondassistance mechanism is coupled with the third lifting mechanism and thefourth lifting mechanism.

In a method for transporting a shelving system, a plurality of contactmembers having first and second ends is provided. The contact membersare slid underneath a first side of the shelving system through to asecond side of the shelving system, such that each end of each contactmember extends beyond a respective side of the shelving system. Alifting mechanism is coupled with each end of each of the contactmembers. A plurality of cross members are coupled with the plurality ofcontact members such that each contact member is connected to alladjacent contact members. The plurality of lifting mechanisms areactivate to raise the shelving system off of the floor, and the shelvingsystem is moved to a desired location.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description of the system inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary shelving system related to aspects ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a top perspective view of an exemplary contact member inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a side perspective view of the contact member of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is a side perspective view of an end portion of the contactmember of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of an exemplary lifting mechanism inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the base of the lifting mechanism ofFIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of an exemplary cross member inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the cross member of FIG. 4 beingcoupled with an exemplary contact member in accordance with aspects ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 6A shows the contact member of FIGS. 2A-2C being inserted into areceiving component of the lifting mechanism of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 6B shows an exemplary locking mechanism of the exemplary contactmember of FIGS. 2A-2C when the contact member is coupled with thelifting mechanism of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the contact member of FIGS. 2A-2Cbeing placed underneath an exemplary shelving system in accordance withaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the system according tothe present disclosure being used to lift a shelving system.

FIG. 9A shows an exemplary assistance mechanism in accordance withaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9B shows a perspective view of the system described herein with theexemplary assistance mechanism, according to aspects of the presentdisclosure.

The present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, and some representative embodiments have been shownby way of example in the drawings and will be described in detailherein. It should be understood, however, that the inventive aspects ofthe disclosure are not limited to the particular forms disclosed.Rather, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms.There is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail,representative embodiments of the invention with the understanding thatthe present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the broadaspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. For purposes ofthe present detailed description, the singular includes the plural andvice versa (unless specifically disclaimed); the words “and” and “or”shall be both conjunctive and disjunctive; the word “all” means “any andall”; the word “any” means “any and all”; and the word “including” means“including without limitation.” Additionally, the singular terms “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless context clearlyindicates otherwise.

The devices, systems, and methods described herein may be utilized tolift and transport a shelving system, such as gondola-style shelving.The shelf-moving system allows the shelving system to be transportedwithout removing any merchandise or other items stored thereon. Theshelf-moving system generally includes a plurality of contact membersthat are placed underneath the shelving system. The number of contactmembers that are placed underneath the shelving system in order to movethe shelving system generally depends on the length of the shelvingsystem. Shorter shelving system may require as little as two contactmembers to move. However, other shelving systems may require a largernumber of contact members. The contact members generally include anumber of outwardly-extending projections that are spaced to engage thefeet of the shelving system therebetween. A single contact membergenerally spans a distance that is greater than the depth D of theshelving system (see FIG. 8), with each end of the contact memberextending beyond the sides of the shelving system. The system furtherincludes a plurality of cross members that are coupled with theplurality of contact members, or a plurality of lifting mechanisms asdescribed below. The cross members include angled end portions that areinsertable into cavities located on the contact members or the liftingmechanisms. One angled end portion of a cross member is coupled with anend of a first contact member, while the other angled end portion iscoupled with an end of a second contact member adjacent to the firstcontact member. A single contact member may be coupled with one or twocross members, depending on the contact member's location underneath theshelving system and/or the size of the shelving system. For example, thecontact members at either end of the shelving system are only coupledwith a single cross member, while all contact members located betweenthe two outer contact members are coupled with two different crossmembers. In this manner, each contact member is connected to alladjacent contact members by one or two cross members.

The system also includes a plurality of lifting mechanisms. A singlelifting mechanism may be coupled with an end of a single contact memberand is used to raise or lower that end of the contact member, thusraising or lowering the shelving system. Each lifting mechanismgenerally includes a sleeve defined by a sleeve housing that the end ofa contact member may be inserted into. A locking mechanism at the end ofthe contact member secures the coupling between the contact member andthe lifting mechanism, thereby inhibiting or preventing the twocomponents from inadvertently decoupling while the system is in use.Each end of each contact member is coupled with a single respectivelifting mechanism. Similarly, each lifting mechanism is coupled with asingle respective contact member.

Alternatively, the ends of the contact members may include the sleevedefined by the sleeve housing that a lifting mechanisms may be insertedinto. A locking mechanism located on the lifting mechanism may then beused to secure the coupling between the lifting mechanism and thecontact member. Again here, each end of each contact member is coupledwith a single respective lifting mechanism, and each lifting mechanismis coupled with a single respective contact member.

The system may also include one or more assistance mechanisms. In onenon-limiting embodiment, the assistance mechanism is a generallyrectangular-shaped component that is configured to couple with adjacentlifting mechanisms. The assistance mechanism helps to secure theadjacent lifting mechanisms and to prevent the lifting mechanisms or thecontact members from being forced out of alignment. The assistancemechanism may also include one or more brackets that are configured toreceive a push bar therein. The push bar provides a handhold for aperson operating the system to grasp and move the shelf once lifted.

In operation, the cross members may be coupled with the contact membersprior to or subsequent to the lifting mechanisms being coupled with thecontact members. In either scenario, once all the components of thesystem are coupled with each other, the shelving system may be liftedand transported. The lifting mechanisms include a component such as, butnot limited to, a hand crank that is used to activate the liftingmechanisms, i.e., to raise and lower the contact members coupledtherewith. As the hand crank is rotated, the lifting mechanisms raisethe contact members off of the ground and into the air. As the contactmembers are raised, they engage the feet of the shelving system and thuslift the shelving system into the air. The lifting mechanisms maygenerally be activated in any order to raise the shelving system. Forexample, a user may activate all of the lifting mechanisms on a singleside of the shelving system, then proceed to activate the liftingmechanism on the opposite side of the shelving system. In anadvantageous arrangement, multiple people may be present, allowingmultiple lifting mechanisms to be activated simultaneously.

When activating the lifting mechanisms to raise the contact members (andthus the shelving system), there is a certain amount of torque, ortwisting force, imparted to the contact members. This twisting force cancause the contact members to rotate about a longitudinal axis runningthe length of the contact member from one end to the other end. Anyrotation increases the risk that the feet of the shelving system willdisengage from the contact members during operation, causing damage tothe shelving system and/or the merchandise thereon. The plurality ofcross members, each secured by a pin, assist in counteracting thistwisting force. The cross members couple with adjacent contact members,thereby inhibiting or preventing the contact members from twisting andproviding stability to the system. The assistance mechanisms provide asimilar benefit to the system, as each assistance mechanism is similarlyconfigured to secure adjacent lifting members.

Once all of the lifting mechanisms have been activated and thus all ofthe contact members have lifted the shelving system off of the ground,the shelving system may be transported to a desired location. Thelifting mechanisms include one or more wheels to allow the shelvingsystem to be pushed or pulled. Once the shelving system has been movedto a desired location, the process may be reversed. The liftingmechanisms lower the contact members and, accordingly, the feet of theshelving system, to the ground, for example, by rotating the hand crankin an opposite direction. The contact members disengage the feet of theshelving system, which will then be supporting its own weight.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary shelving system 10 is shown. Theshelving system 10 shown is generally referred to as a gondola or agondola system. Gondolas are a type of shelving system commonly used inretail settings. The shelving system generally has a length L and adepth D. As shown, the shelving system 10 generally consists of one ormore individual sections 12, with the sections 12 being joined togetherat vertical posts 14. The individual sections 12 include a base 16 andbackplate 18 mounted on the base 16. The base 16 acts as the lowermostshelf Individual shelves 20 are attached to the backplate 18 at desiredheights to allow products or other items to be displayed. The backplate18 may be made of metal or any other suitable material. Shelves 20 aregenerally located on both sides of the shelving system 10 if theshelving system 10 located the middle of a store. However, the shelvingsystem 10 may also be placed adjacent to a store wall, in which case theshelving system 10 would only have shelves 20 located on one side.

The shelving system 10 rests on a plurality of feet 22 (as shown in FIG.7). The feet 22 are located underneath the base 16 of the shelvingsystem 10, generally at every junction between two sections 12 of theshelving system 10. A removable kickplate 23 may be located at the base16 of the shelving system 10. The removable kickplate 23 may be in aclosed configuration, so as to prevent unwanted objects from beingplaced underneath the shelving system. The removable kickplate 23 mayalso be in an open configured, so as to permit cleaning underneath theshelving system 10. In either configuration, the removable kickplate 23restricts the movement of the vertical posts 14. As shown in FIG. 7,each foot 22 generally includes an upper portion 24 and a plurality ofextensions 26 that are in contact with the ground. An aperture 28 isdefined between individual extensions 26. The feet 22 may be integralwith the vertical posts 14 shown in FIG. 1. In that case, the feet 22are simply the lower portion of a single member whose upper portion runsvertically along the shelving system as shown by vertical post 14.Alternatively, the feet 22 may be a separate component from verticalpost 14, where the feet 22 are attached to the vertical posts 14 in asuitable manner. While the shelving system 10 described here is agondola-type shelving system, other types of shelving systems 10 may belifted and transported by the system described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, there is shown an exemplary contact member 30that is used to engage and lift a shelving system 10. The contact member30 is unitary, i.e., the contact member 30 is comprised of a single unit(e.g. a single metal beam) or multiple units permanently attached (e.g.welded together), rather than two or more separate pieces that may betemporarily joined together. The contact member 30 is thus simpler andeasier to use than conventional systems, which utilize complicatedmulti-piece components that are bolted and/or pinned together by aperson lying or reaching under the shelving system 10. As shown, thecontact member 30 generally comprises a body 31 and end portions 36A and36B. The body 31 has a first end 33A that terminates at an inner face 35of end portion 36A, and a second end 33B that terminates at an innerface (not shown) of end portion 36B. A plurality of notches 32 aredefined by outwardly-extending projections 34. The contact member 30 ofFIG. 2A generally has projections 34 and notches 32 positionedtherebetween on only one side thereof, although it is contemplated thata contact member 30 could have projections 34 disposed on both sidesthereof. In operation however, each contact member 30 is configured tobe disposed on only one side of a respective one of the feet 22, andthus only the projections 34 on one side of each contact member 30 areused to engage the feet 22 of the shelving system 10. In this manner,each foot 22 has a contact member 30 disposed to only one side of thefoot 22. Each individual contact member 30 thus does not sandwich thefoot 22 from both sides, but rather is located on either one side of thefoot 22 or the other side. The top of each end portion 36A and 36Bincludes one or more cavities 37 defined by a cavity housing 38. Thecavities 37 are configured to receive a portion of a cross member 60(see FIG. 5), as will be described herein. While the cavities 37 areshown to be located at the ends 36A and 36B of the contact member 30,the cavities 37 may also be located on a lifting mechanism 50 (see FIG.3A), as will be described herein. Finally, an aperture 39 is defined inthe cavity housing 39 for each cavity 37.

As is illustrated in FIG. 2A, body 31 is not centered on the endportions 36A and 36B. In this manner, end 33A of body 31 does notterminate at the center of inner face 35 of end portion 36A. Rather, end33A of body 31 terminates at a portion of inner face 35 that is offsetfrom the center of inner face 35. For example, the non-limitingembodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A shows that end 33A terminates at theright side of inner face 35, offset from the center of inner face 35.Similarly, end 33B of body 31 terminates at a portion of the inner face(not shown) of end portion 36B that is offset from the center of theinner face of end portion 36B. Thus, body 31 is offset from the centerof end portions 36A and 36B. Generally, the direction of the offset fromthe center of inner face 35 of end portion 36A (and from the center ofthe inner face of end portion 36B) is opposite the direction that theprojections 34 extend in from the body 31. For example, from theperspective of FIG. 2A, body 31 is offset to the right of inner face 35,while projections 34 extend outwardly to the left of body 31. Theprojections 34 are thus generally aligned with the center of inner face35 of end portion 36A and the center of the inner face of end portion36B. In this manner, the lifting mechanisms that will attach to the endportions 36A and 36B during operation of the system will be aligned withthe projections 34 and the foot 22 of the shelving system 10. Thisarrangement with the lifting mechanisms, end portions 36A and 36B,projections 34, and the foot 22 of the shelving system all disposed in agenerally straight line relative to each other, stabilizes the shelvingsystem 10 and reduces the chances that the foot 22 will slip off of theprojections 34 during lifting.

Referring now to FIG. 2B, a side perspective view of the contact member30 is illustrated. As is shown, the contact member 30 includes a slightcurve or camber such that the contact member 30 has an upside-down Ushape. This curve or camber causes the end portions 36A and 36B of body31 to be naturally disposed at a lower height relative to a center 33Cof body 31. This curve or camber is to counteract the downward flex thatthe body 31 will undergo when contact member 30 is used to lift theshelving system 10. Typically, the weight of the shelving system 10 onthe contact member 30 during lifting will cause the center 33C of body31 to flex downwardly such that the center 33C of body 31 will bedisposed lower than its natural position (i.e. the position of center33C of body 31 when the contact member 30 is not lifting the shelvingsystem). By providing a contact member 30 that has a curve or camberbefore being used to lift the shelving system 10, this downward flexingof the center 33C of body 31 will cause the center 33C to be disposedgenerally level with end portions 36A and 36B during operation, suchthat the body 31 will be in a generally straight configuration while theshelving system 10 is being lifted. A contact member 30 without thiscurve or camber would result in the body 31 being in a curvedconfiguration while the shelving system 10 was being lifted, such thatthe contact member 30 would have a U shape, which would weaken thecontact member 30 and reduce the amount of weight that can be lifted.Having the body 31 of the contact member 31 be in a straightconfiguration during the lifting operation strengthens the contactmember 30, thereby making it possible for the contact member 30 to beused to lift a greater amount of weight.

Illustrated in FIG. 2C is a close-up view of an end portion 36 of thecontact member 30 of FIGS. 2A and 2B extending from cavity housing 38.The end portion 36 as shown has a substantially rectangular crosssection. However, other cross sectional shapes may be similarlysuitable. The end portion 36 generally includes a floor piece 41 and twogenerally parallel sidewalls 43A and 43B. End portion 36 may include avariety of reinforcement components to increase the strength thereof.For example, end portion 36 may include a slanted component (not shown)disposed between sidewalls 43A and 43B that is secured to floor piece41, sidewall 43A, and sidewall 43B. End portion 36 also includes anexemplary locking mechanism 40 that is used to secure the couplingbetween the contact member 30 and a lifting mechanism 50 (see FIG. 3A).As shown, the locking mechanism 40 includes a spring 42 and a lockingmember 44 rotationally coupled to floor piece 41. The spring 42 upwardlybiases the locking member 44. The locking member 44 includes an inclinedface 46 with a top point 47, and a vertical face 48. Other types oflocking mechanisms 40 may also be employed to secure the couplingbetween the contact member 30 and the lifting mechanism 50. Thefunctionality of the locking mechanism 40 will be described in furtherdetail below with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. Also shown in FIG. 2C isthe aperture 39 defined in the cavity housing 38. The end portion 36 mayalso include one or more attachment mechanisms, such as but not limitedto a U-shaped clamp, that are suitable for attaching the contact member30 to an object that is being lifted. For example, the contact member 36may be used to lift a pallet rack. In addition to the normal operationof the contact member 36 (i.e. lifting the pallet rack from below), theattachment mechanism can attach to the pallet-rack to further secure thesystem to the pallet rack.

FIG. 3A shows an exemplary lifting mechanism 50 that may be utilizedwith the system described herein. The lifting mechanism 50 generallyincludes a base portion 51 and a body portion 52. The body portion 52 isshown to include a hand crank 53 that may be rotated to activate thelifting mechanism 50. The base portion 51 includes a receiving component54 comprising a sleeve 55 defined by a sleeve housing 56. The baseportion 51 may also include a pair of slots 57A and 57B that a foot ofan assistance mechanism may be inserted into, as will be discussed inmore detail herein. The lifting mechanism 50 shown in FIG. 3A is a jack,such as but not limited to, a screw jack, a hydraulic jack, or apneumatic jack. However, other types of lifting devices are suitable foruse with the system, such as hoists or winches. Similarly, it isrecognized that other types of components are suitable to activate thelifting mechanism 50 instead of the hand crank 53, such as levers orwheels.

FIG. 3B shows the base portion 51 of the exemplary lifting mechanism 50,including a receiving component 54 and two wheels 59. While the liftingmechanism 50 is shown with two wheels, it is possible for the liftingmechanism 50 to include any suitable number of wheels. The receivingcomponent 54 includes a substantially hollow sleeve 55 defined by asleeve housing 56. The sleeve housing 56 is sized such that the endportion 36 of a contact member 30 may be inserted into the sleeve 55.Similar to the end portion 36 of the contact member 30, the sleevehousing 56 is shown to define a sleeve 55 with a substantiallyrectangular cross section. However, other cross sectional shapes arealso suitable. In some embodiments, the shape of the cross sections ofthe sleeve 55 and the end portion 36 will correspond, so as to allow theend portion 36 to be inserted into the sleeve 55. The receivingcomponent 54 has an integral vertical portion 58 that extends from thesleeve housing 56 up into the interior of the body portion 52 of thelifting mechanism 50. When the hand crank 53 is rotated to activate thelifting mechanism 50, the integral vertical portion 58 is raised orlowered within the body portion 52, thus raising or lowering the endportion 36 of the contact member 30 that is inserted into the sleeve 55.

In an alternative embodiment, the contact member 30 may include a sleeve55 defined by a sleeve housing 56. In this embodiment, the liftingmechanism 50 includes an end portion that is insertable into the sleeve55 located on the contact member 30. Once the end portion of the liftingmechanism 50 is inserted into the sleeve 55, the hand crank 53 may berotated to activate the lifting mechanism 50 to raise the contact member30 off of the ground.

Shown in FIG. 4 is an exemplary cross member 60. The cross member 60 iscomprised of a body portion 62 and two angled end portions 64. Anaperture 66 is defined through each angled end portion 64. The angledend portions 64 are insertable into the cavities 37 located at each endportion 36A, 36B of a contact member 30. Alternatively, the angled endportions 64 may be insertable into cavities 37 located on each liftingmember 50. As shown, the cross member 60 also includes two pins 68,which may be attached to the cross member 60 with, for example, aflexible cable 69. While the angled end portions 64 are shown in FIG. 4to be positioned at an approximately 90 degree angle relative to thebody portion 62, other angles may also suitable. As can be seen, theangled end portions 64 are integrally formed with the body portion 62 ofthe cross member 60. In an alternative embodiment, the angled endportions 64 may be formed of separate pieces that may be coupled withthe body portion 62 of the cross member 60.

The cross member 60 is coupled with the contact member 30 by insertingan angled end portion 64 into a cavity 37 defined at the end portion 36of a contact member 30, as shown in FIG. 5. In an alternativeembodiment, the angled end portions 64 are inserted into a cavity 37defined on each lifting mechanism 50. The cavity housing 38 partiallysurrounds the angled end portion 64 when the angled end portion 64 isinserted into the cavity 37. When the angled end portion 64 is insertedinto the cavity 37, the aperture 39 defined in the cavity housing 38 isaligned with the aperture 66 defined in the angled end portion 64. Thisallows the pin 68 to be inserted through the apertures 39 and 66. Whenfully inserted, the pin 68 extends through the cavity housing 38 andthrough the angled end portion 64 of the cross member 60, emerging fromthe angled end portion 64 opposite the aperture 39, as shown. The angledend portion 64 is thus locked into the cavity 37, and the cross member60 is prevented from inadvertently decoupling with the contact member30. Because the entirety of the angled end portion 64 is inserted andlocked into the cavity 37 (rather than merely a projection or a tabextending from the unitary cross member 60), the coupling with the crossmember 60 is strong and secure, thereby adding stability to the system.The locked-in cross members 60 also prevent the contact members 30 fromtwisting along a longitudinal axis A as shown in FIG. 7. This feature isdiscussed in more detail further on in reference to FIG. 7. To removethe angled end portion 64 of the cross member 60 from the contact member30, a user simply pulls the pin 68 out of aperture 39 and aperture 66,and the angled end portion 64 of the cross member 60 may be lifted outof the cavity 37.

While FIG. 5 shows that the cavity housing 38 terminates at a verticaledge 70 and thus only partially surrounds the inserted angled endportion 64, other embodiments of the system may include a cavity housing38 that completely surrounds the angled end portion 64 when insertedinto the cavity 37. Furthermore, while the figures show that the cavity37 and cavity housing 38 are disposed on the end portion 36 of thecontact member 30, it is also possible for the cavity 37 and cavityhousing 38 to be disposed on the lifting mechanism 50. In thisconfiguration, the cross members 60 are coupled with the lifting members50 instead of the contact members 30. Again here, the coupling betweenthe angled end portions 36 and the lifting mechanisms 50 serve tostrengthen and stabilize the system, and prevent the contact members 30from twisting along the longitudinal axis A as shown in FIG. 7.Furthermore, while FIG. 7 shows that pin 68, when inserted through thecavity housing 38 and cross member 60 terminates at an end of a bodyportion of the contact member 30, the body portion as shown in FIG. 7may actually extend further past the pin 68. In that case, the bodyportion of the contact member 30 may have an additional aperture toallow the pin 68 to be inserted through the body portion, thus furthersecuring the cross member 60 to the contact member 30.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show the process for coupling a contact member 30 with alifting mechanism 50. As shown in FIG. 6A, the end portion 36 of thecontact member 30 and the receiving component 54 of the liftingmechanism 50 are moved towards each other. As the end portion 36 isinserted into sleeve 55 of the receiving component 54, an upper edge 72of the sleeve housing 56 will contact the inclined face 46 of thelocking member 44. As the contact member 30 continues to be insertedinto the sleeve 55, the contact between the inclined face 46 and theupper edge 72 of the sleeve housing 56 forces the locking member 44downwards and compresses the spring 42. When the locking mechanism 40 isfully disposed within the sleeve 55, the spring 42 pushes the lockingmember 44 upwards against the interior of the upper wall of thereceiving component 54. Other types of suitable locking mechanisms arealso contemplated. For example, the end of contact member 30 may have anaperture define from one side through the contact member 30 to the otherside. When the end of the contact member 30 is inserted into the sleeve55 of the lifting mechanism and protrudes from the other side of thesleeve 55, a pin may be inserted into the aperture to thus lock thecontact member 30 in place. Other suitable mechanisms for securing thecoupling between the contact member 30 and the lifting mechanism 50 mayalso be used.

In FIG. 6B, the contact member 30 has been fully coupled with thelifting mechanism 50. As shown, the end portion 36 of the contact member30 is inserted through the sleeve 55 such that the locking member 44extends outwardly on the opposite side of the lifting mechanism 50.Because of the upward bias of the spring 42, once the top point 47 ofthe inclined face 46 extends past the upper edge 72 of the sleevehousing 56, the locking member 44 is forced upwards. The top point 47 ofthe locking member 44 is thus elevated above the upper edge 72 of thesleeve housing 56. Thus, any force pulling apart the contact member 30and the lifting mechanism 50 will result in the upper edge 72 of thesleeve housing 56 contacting the vertical face 48 of the locking member44. The contact between the sleeve housing 56 and the locking member 44prevents the contact member 30 from sliding out of the sleeve 55 andthus inadvertently decoupling with the lifting mechanism 50, forexample, while the contact member 30 is supporting the shelving system10. To decouple the contact member 30 and the lifting mechanism 50, thelocking member 44 must be pressed downwards until the top point 47 islower than the upper edge 72 of the sleeve housing 56. The contactmember 30 may then be removed from the sleeve 55, thus decoupling thecontact member 30 and the lifting mechanism 50.

While the locking mechanism 40 is shown as being located on the contactmember 30 and the sleeve 55 is shown as being located on the liftingmechanism 50, their respective locations may be reversed. For example,the end portion 36 of the contact member 30 may include a sleeve 55defined by a sleeve housing 56. Further, the base portion 51 of thelifting mechanism 50 may include the locking mechanism 40 instead of thereceiving component 54.

In FIG. 7 is shown the placement of a contact member 30 underneath ashelving system 10 in preparation for moving the shelving system 10. Thecontact member 30 may be inserted from a first side of the shelvingsystem 10 and slid or otherwise moved toward a second side of theshelving system 10. As described above, the contact member 30 has anumber of projections 34 that are spaced to fit between the extensions26 of the feet 22. In FIG. 7 it is illustrated that two projections 34are spaced to be disposed between two extensions 26. However, it iscontemplated that the two projections 34 could be joined together as asingle projection 34, or that the contact member 30 may be configuredsuch that three or more projections 34 are disposed between each set oftwo extensions 26. The extensions 26 correspondingly fit into thenotches 32 formed between the projections 34 of the contact member 30.As shown, a single contact member 30 is configured to be disposed ononly one side of each foot 22. When the contact member 30 is lifted bythe lifting mechanism 50, the projections 34 engage the upper portion 24of the foot 22 and lift the shelving system 10 up off of the floor.While there may be projections 34 on either side of the contact member30, only the projections 34 on a single side of the contact member 30actually engage the feet 22. When the contact member 30 is in place, afirst end of the contact member 30 will extend beyond the first end ofthe shelving system 10, and a second end of the contact member 30 willextend beyond an opposing second end of the shelving system 10. Bothends of the contact member 30 include the cavity housing 38 defining oneor more cavities 37 and the locking mechanism 40, as described above.

As noted previously, there is a torque or twisting force that isimparted to the contact members 30 while they are being raised by thelifting mechanisms 50. This twisting force is due to the uneven loadplaced on the contact members 30 while they engage the feet 22 of theshelving system 10. As can be seen in FIG. 7, a single foot 22 isengaged by a single contact member 30 disposed on a single side of thefoot 22. The resulting uneven weight distribution on the contact member30 and the projections 34 causes greater amount of downward force to beapplied to one side of the contact member 30 as compared to the otherside. The contact members thus have a tendency to rotate or twist abouta longitudinal axis running along the length of the contact member 30from one end portion 36A to the other end portion 36B, as denoted byarrow A.

Due to the uneven load on the contact members 30 and the heavy weight ofthe shelving system 10 and the merchandise stored thereon, any suchrotation or twisting of the contact members 30 greatly increases therisk of the feet 22 disengaging from (i.e. sliding off of) the contactmembers 30. The plurality of cross members 60 counteracts the twistingforce. The insertion of the angled end portions 64 into the cavities 37on the contact members 30 eliminates much of the rotation or twisting ofthe contact members 30. The insertion of the pin 68 through theapertures 39 and 66 eliminates much of the remaining movement rotationor twisting. Thus, the presence of the cross members 60 assists ineliminating the risk of the shelving system 10 disengaging from thecontact members 30, and allows the contact members 30 to exist as simpleunitary components, rather than the complex multi-piece componentsattached around or bolted to the feet 22 of the shelving system 10.

The operation of the system is now described. A plurality of contactmembers 30 are slid or otherwise placed underneath the shelving system10. One end portion 36 of each of the contact members 30 extends beyondone side of the shelving system 10, while the opposite end portions 36extends beyond the opposite side of the shelving system 10. The contactmembers 30 are placed so that projections 34 on one side of each of thecontact members 30 are located directly underneath feet 22 of theshelving system 10. The contact members 30 are then coupled with eithera plurality of lifting mechanisms 50 or a plurality of cross members 60.To couple with the lifting mechanisms 50, a lifting mechanism 50 ismoved towards each end portion 36 of each contact member 30 so that theend portion 36 is inserted into the sleeve 55 of the lifting mechanism50. The end portion 36 is slid through the sleeve 55 until the lockingmechanism 40 secures locks the contact member 30 to the liftingmechanism 50. In an alternative embodiment, an end portion of a liftingmechanism 50 is inserted into a sleeve 55 located on the contact member30. To couple with the cross members 60, the angled end portions 64 of across member 60 are inserted into the cavities 37 of two adjacentcontact members 30. In an alternative embodiment, the angled endportions 64 of a cross member 60 are inserted into the cavities 37 oftwo adjacent lifting mechanisms 50. The cross members 60 are secured byinserting a pin 68 through an aperture 39 in the cavity housing 38 ofthe contact member 30, and also through an aperture 66 in the crossmember 60.

Once all of the components have been coupled together, one or more usersmay activate the lifting mechanisms 50 by rotating a hand crank 53 oneach lifting mechanism 50. This lifts up the contact members 30 so thatthe projections 34 located underneath the shelving system 10 engage thefeet 22. As the contact members 30 continue to be lifted by the liftingmechanisms 50, the projections 34 lift the shelving system 10 off of theground. Once the shelving system 10 has been lifted off of the groundand is entirely supported by the contact members 30, the shelving system10 may be moved to a desired location. Once the shelving system 10 ismoved to the desired location, the process may be repeated in reverse tolower the shelving system 10 and remove the contact members 30.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the system fully assembled and readyto lift and transport the shelving system 10. As can be seen, aplurality of contact members are located underneath the base of theshelving system 10. Each contact member spans the entire depth D of theshelving system 10, and each end portion of the contact members extendsbeyond the ends of the shelving system 10. Each contact member isgenerally parallel with all of the other contact members. As is shown,each end portion of each contact member is coupled with a singlerespective lifting mechanism 50. The coupling between each end portionof each contact member and the respective lifting mechanism 50 issecured using a respective locking mechanism. Also shown is a pluralityof cross members coupled with the plurality of contact members. Aspreviously discussed, the cross members may alternatively be coupledwith the lifting mechanisms. Each of the plurality of cross members isgenerally perpendicular to each of the plurality of contact members.Each cross member is coupled with both a first contact member (or therespective lifting mechanism 50 coupled therewith) and a second contactmember (or the respective lifting mechanism 50 coupled therewith). Thetwo contact members that a single cross member is coupled with areimmediately adjacent to each other. In this manner, each contact memberis connected to all immediately adjacent contact members by a singlerespective cross member. Further, an individual contact member can haveone or two cross members coupled therewith.

With specific reference to FIG. 8, an embodiment of the system includesfirst and second outer contact members 130A and 130B, and an innercontact member 130C. A first cross member 160A is coupled with both thefirst outer contact member 130A and the inner contact member 130C.Similarly, a second cross member 160B is coupled with both the secondouter contact member 130B and the inner contact member 130C. Thus, thefirst outer contact member 130A and the second outer contact member 130Bare each coupled with single distinct cross members 160A and 160B.Because the inner contact member 130C is immediately adjacent to twodifferent contact members 130A and 130B, the inner contact member 130Cis coupled with two different cross members 130A and 130B. Morespecifically, an angled end portion of the first cross member 160A isinserted into a first cavity defined by the cavity housing at the end ofthe inner contact member 130C, while an angled end portion of the secondcross member 160B is inserted into a second cavity defined by the cavityhousing at the end of the inner contact member 130C. Because both of theouter contact members 130A and 130B are immediately adjacent to only oneother contact member, the first outer contact member 130A is coupledonly with the first cross member 160A, and the second outer contactmember 130B is coupled only with the second cross member 160B. Due tothis, only one cavity on each end of the outer contact members 130A and130B has a cross member inserted therein, while the other (outwardlyfacing) cavity remains empty.

Once all of the components are in place and have been coupled, theshelving system 10 can be raised. The lifting mechanisms 50 areactivated by, e.g., rotating hand cranks 53 located on the liftingmechanisms 50. As the hand crank 53 of a lifting mechanism 50 isrotated, the integral vertical portion 58 of the receiving component 54is raised into the body portion 52 of the lifting mechanism 50 (see FIG.3B). Because the end portion 36 of the contact member 30 is coupled withthe lifting mechanism 50, the contact member 30 is raised as well. Asthe contact member 30 is raised, the projections 34 make contact withthe extensions 26 of the feet 22, thus raising the shelving system 10into the air. This process is repeated for every lifting mechanism 50until all feet 22 of the shelving system 10 are lifted into the air. Atthis point, the shelving system 10 may be transported to a desiredlocation.

Referring now to FIG. 9A, another embodiment of the system isillustrated. As shown, an assistance mechanism 80 may be utilized withthe system described herein. In the illustrated embodiment, theassistance mechanism 80 is a generally rectangular-shaped component thatincludes a first horizontal member 82A and a second horizontal member82B that are generally parallel to each other. Each of the firsthorizontal member 82A and the second horizontal member 82B are joined ateach end by a first vertical member 84A and a second vertical member84B. The bottom portion of each vertical member 84A, 84B extends pastthe bottom portion of bottom horizontal member 82B to form feet 86A,86B. The feet 86A, 86B may be inserted into the slots 57 defined in thebase portions 51 of the lifting mechanisms 50. The feet 86A, 86B may besecured to the slots 57 by way of, for example, apertures 87A and 87Bdefined through the slots 57, apertures 89A and 89B defined through thefeet 86A, 86B, and a pin positioned therethrough. Thus, the assistancemechanism 80 is configured to be coupled with at least two liftingmechanisms.

The assistance mechanism 80 may also include a pair of brackets 88A and88B. A first bracket 88A may be disposed on the first horizontal member82A, while a second bracket 88B may be disposed on the second horizontalmember 82B. The brackets 88A, 88B are sized to be coupled with acomponent that helps a user or users transport the shelving system onceit has been lifted, such as a push bar (shown as push bar 90 in FIG.9B). The push bar 90 may be inserted through the brackets 88A, 88B, andmay have a generally curved upper end 91. The push bar 90 provides aneasy location for an individual to grasp the system without having tobend over, thus making it easier for the shelving system to be moved.Thus, the assistance mechanism 80 decreases the risk to the user andprovides a smoother experience. The assistance mechanism 80 also helpsto combat the twisting force that is imparted during the liftingprocess. The assistance mechanism 80, along with the cross member 60,secures two adjacent lifting mechanisms 50 to each other and preventsthe twisting force from separating adjacent lifting mechanisms 50 orcausing a single lifting mechanism 50 itself to rotate about thelongitudinal axis running the length of the shelving system 10. Thus,the assistance mechanism 80 stabilizes the system during the liftingoperation and provides a location for the operator(s) of the system toeasily grasp while transporting the shelving system.

FIG. 9B illustrates a pair of assistance mechanisms 80 coupled with thesystem described herein. As shown, each assistance mechanism 80 iscoupled with separate pairs of lifting mechanisms 50. When coupled, theassistance mechanisms 80 are substantially parallel to the cross members60 and substantially perpendicular to the contact members 30.Accordingly, the assistance mechanisms 80 span at least a portion of thewidth L of the shelving system 10 (as shown in FIG. 1). The illustratedembodiment of FIG. 9B shows the push bar 90 inserted into the brackets88A, 88B of each assistance mechanism 80. The push bar 90 includes acurved upper end 91 to allow a user to easily grasp the push bar 90. Thepush bar 90 can be oriented in a number of different directions withrespect to the system. For example, FIG. 9B shows both push bars beingoriented with the curved upper end 91 curving to the left from theperspective of someone facing the push bar 90. However, the push bar 90may be rotated such that the curved upper end 91 curves outward awaywhere the shelving system would be during operation, to the right, oreven inward towards the shelving system.

In another embodiment, there may be apertures 92A and 92B defined in thefirst horizontal member of an assistance mechanism 80. As illustrated inFIG. 9B, apertures 92A and 92B are defined at each end of the firsthorizontal member where the first horizontal member connects with twovertical members. Each of the vertical members of an assistancemechanism 80 may thus have internal cavities where a push bar 90 may beinserted. Thus, instead of inserting a single push bar 90 throughbrackets 88A and 88B, two push bars 90 may be inserted through apertures92A and 92B into each of the vertical members of the assistancemechanism 80. Each push bar 90 may thus be grasped by an operator of thesystem to give the operators more control while transporting theshelving system.

The system may also include an exemplary transportation mechanism. Thetransportation mechanism generally includes a horizontal member with apair of downwardly pointing ends. The ends may be insertable intosleeves defined on one or more lifting mechanisms. These sleeves definedin the lifting mechanisms may be the same sleeves that are capable ofreceiving the feet of the assistance mechanisms, or they may be separatesleeves defined on the lifting mechanisms. Again, thedownwardly-pointing ends of the transportation mechanisms may be securedwith, for example, a pin-aperture system. When coupled with the liftingmechanisms, the transportation mechanisms are substantially parallel tothe contact members, and substantially perpendicular to the crossmembers. Accordingly, the transportation mechanisms spans at least aportion of the depth D of the shelving system.

The transportation mechanism can also include a coupling component thatallows the transportation mechanisms to be coupled with a mobiletransportation unit such as, but not limited to, a motorized or electriccart pusher, a motorized or electric scooter, an ATV, or a bicycle. Thecoupling component may be a trailer hitch ball. Other types of couplingcomponents are also contemplated. The coupling component may alsoinclude an adjustment mechanism such as an adjustor bolt that allows fora tensioning member to extend from the coupling component and contactthe shelving system. This allows the mobile transportation unit toimpart more force to the system as a whole to ensure that moving theshelving system is easier. Without the tensioning member, the forceimparted by the mobile transportation unit would be directed moretransversely onto the horizontal member. Thus, instead of helping tomove the shelving system, the force would cause the horizontal member tobend transversely. Thus, the adjustment mechanism and tensioning memberallow force imparted by the mobile transportation unit to be used moreeffectively.

The transportation mechanism allows the mobile transportation unit totransport a shelving system once the shelving system has been raised offof the ground. For example, a cart pusher, often utilized by largegrocery or department stores to gather and transport carts in a parkinglot, could be brought inside to couple with shelving systems that havebeen lifted. Instead of having multiple individuals physically transporta shelving system, a single individual could utilize a cart pusher totransport the shelving system, thus improving the store's efficiency

While the embodiment of the system shown in FIG. 8 includes only threecontact members, other embodiments of the system as described herein mayutilize any number of contact members (and corresponding cross membersand lifting mechanisms) that may be necessary to lift and transport ashelving system. For example, an embodiment of the system may utilizefour contact members to lift a shelving system. When four contactmembers are used, there are two inner contact members and two outercontact members. According to the principles described herein, each endof each of the two inner contact members will be coupled with two crossmembers, while each end of each of the two outer contact members willstill only be coupled with a single cross member. This coupling schemeextends to any embodiment with any number of inner contact members. Allinner contact members will be connected to the two immediately adjacentcontact members by coupling with two different cross members. Each ofthe two outer contact members will always couple with a single crossmember.

Another embodiment of the system described herein only utilizes twocontact members to lift a particular shelving system. In thisembodiment, first and second contact members are slid or otherwiseplaced underneath a shelving system. A first cross member is coupledwith the ends of the first and second contact members on a first side ofthe shelving system to connect the first and second contact members.Similarly, a second cross member is coupled with the opposite ends ofthe first and second contact members on a second side of the shelvingsystem. Respective lifting mechanisms are then coupled with each end ofeach contact member, and the shelving system may be lifted andtransported.

While the present invention has been described with reference to one ormore particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognizethat many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments andobvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spiritand scope of the invention. It is also contemplated that additionalembodiments according to aspects of the present invention may combineany number of features from any of the embodiments described herein.

1. A system for transporting a shelving system having a plurality offeet, the system comprising: a plurality of lifting mechanisms; aplurality of contact members, each contact member configured to bedisposed on one side of a respective one of the plurality of feet, eachfoot having a contact member disposed on a single side thereof, eachcontact member having two ends, each of the two ends of each contactmember being configured to be coupled with a respective one of theplurality of lifting mechanisms; and a plurality of cross members, eachcross member being configured to be coupled with either (i) a first oneof the plurality of contact members and a second adjacent one of theplurality of contact members; or (ii) a first one of the plurality oflifting mechanisms and a second adjacent one of the plurality of liftingmechanisms. 2.-20. (canceled)